Stocking Stuffers # 2

MELCHIOR, CASPAR AND BALTHAZAR

Three kings from the east
Melchior, Caspar and Balthazar
Enlightened kings of wisdom
On their great quest travelled far
Three wise men from the east
Who followed a bright star
Three kings bearing gifts
Gold, frankincense and myrrh
Three kings from the east
Melchior, Caspar and Balthazar
Three kings of great wealth
Bowed low before the saviour

ROBIN

Crimson breasted
Perching on a gate
Robin red breast
Looking for a mate
A hardy suitor
Courting and wooing
Proudly displaying
In ritual pursuing
Trying to impress
To attract a wife
So in the spring
There’d be new life
And for his efforts
Amidst winter hard
He gets to appear
On a Christmas card

SYMBOLIC

The symbol of St Thomas is the builder's square, which comes from an ancient story that built a palace for King Guduphara in India.

THE BEST CHRISTMAS MOVIES EVER – ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS 2007

10 year old Jesse Armstrong (Jimmy 'Jax' Pinchak) is anxious to help his struggling widowed mom Sara (Gail O'Grady) so he enters a national video contest.
His entry “All I Want for Christmas is a Husband for my Mom” wins the contest which then has unforeseen consequences as Sara is vaulted into the national spotlight and dazzled into accepting a proposal from a wealthy man Roger Nelson (Greg Germann) who she doesn’t love.
Family friend and neighbour Ben Grant (Robert Mailhouse) is the real romantic interest and a suitable father figure for Jesse in this enjoyable Christmas RomCom.

ON THE EVE

A hearty Christmas greeting
Merry Christmas to one and all
Tonight excitement fills the air
The night Santa comes to call
With gifts galore for everyone
To be piled high beneath the tree
Christmas Eve anticipation never fails
To fills our hearts with glee

ON CHRISTMAS DAY 1939

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer was introduced by Montgomery Ward stores to become the 9th reindeer.

A GAME OF GANNA

Ganna is the name for an Ethiopian Christmas but the name originated as a form of hockey with sticks and ball which the shepherds played while awaiting news of the savior’s birth.
The game of Ganna is still played today and forms a big part of the Christmas day festivities.

WRITTEN WARNING

Beware of what you write
In your Christmas letter to Santa
Ask yourself if you’ve been good
But be honest when you answer
If you’re naughty and say you’re nice
Santa may erupt with laughter
He may even laugh so violently
That you end up killing Santa

SEASONAL GREETINGS FROM THE OLD RUSSIAN REPUBLIC

Armenia
Shenoraavor Nor Dari yev Pari Gaghand
Azerbaijan (Azeri)
Tezze Iliniz Yahsi Olsun
Estonia
Ruumsaid juulup|hi
Latvia (Lettish)
Priecigus Ziemassvetkus
Latvia
Prieci'gus Ziemsve'tkus un Laimi'gu Jauno Gadu
Lithuania
Linksmu Kaledu
Russia
Pozdrevlyayu s prazdnikom Rozhdestva is Novim Godom
Ukraine
Srozhdestvom Kristovym

SAVIOUR, AT YOUR BIRTH

Saviour, at your birth
The angels softly sang
Heralding your arrival
To save the fate of man

Now your birthday is near
We hear the church bells rang
Calling your children hither
To sing the thanks of man

WHILE BROKERS WATCHED THEIR STOCK BY NIGHT

While brokers watched
Their stock by night
In the heart of London town
The angel of the Lord came down
And turned off the power
And turned off the power

While brokers looked
Into their blank monitors
Stop messing she was bade
There’s lots of money to be made
Turn on the bloody power
Turn on the bloody power

You seem to be missing
The true meaning of Christmas
The angel calmly explained
In the darkness of the exchange
They did not listen to her
They wanted only power

I am not hear for god
I am hear at my own bidding
The angel was ranting and raving
You lost my bloody savings
When they told to her the risks
She fried them to a crisp

FAVOURITE CHRISTMAS CAROL # 12

IN DULCI JUBILO
Words by Heinrich Suso and Traditional Music

In dulci jubilo
Let us our homage show
Our heart's joy reclineth
In praesepio
And like a bright star shineth
Matris in gremio,
Alpha es et O!

O Jesu parvule,
My heart is sore for Thee
Hear me, I beseech Thee
O puer optime
My praying let it reach Thee!
O princeps gloriae.
Trahe me post te.

O patris caritas!
O Nati lenitas!
Deeply were we stained
Per nostra crimina
But Thou for us hast gained
Coelorum gaudia,
Qualis gloria!

Ubi sunt gaudia,
If that they be not there?
There are Angels singing
Nova cantica;
And there the bells are ringing
In Regis curia.
O that we were there!

TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS # 1

Twas the night before Christmas and all thru the house,
Not a creature was stirring not even a mouse
As earlier that night with the aid of cheese and a trap
I bad Mr. Mouse Merry Christmas as the spring went snap

NICHOLAS PATRON SAINT OF

St Nicholas of Myra is the patron saint against imprisonment, against robberies and robbers he is also patron of apothecaries, bakers, barrel makers, boatmen, boot blacks, boys, brewers, brides, captives, children, coopers, dock workers, druggists and fishermen.
Also the patron saint of Greece, the Greek Catholic Church in America, the Greek Catholic Union, grooms, judges, and lawsuits lost unjustly, longshoremen, Lorraine, maidens, mariners, merchants, murderers, newlyweds, old maids, parish clerks and paupers.
As well as pawnbrokers, perfumeries, perfumers, pharmacists, pilgrims, poor people, Portsmouth England, prisoners, Russia, sailors, scholars, schoolchildren, shoe shiners, Sicily, spinsters, students, thieves, travelers, unmarried girls and watermen

ON CHRISTMAS DAY 1941

Japan announced the surrender of the British-Canadian garrison in Hong Kong to the forces of Japan.

FAVOURITE CHRISTMAS SONG # 13

Despite the general awfulness of the Christmas song there are however always exceptions to the rule and I have a short list of personal favourites.
Without exception all my choices not only include the song but the best performer of that song and so in no particular order here is my thirteenth selection.

"It's Beginning to Look a Lot like Christmas" written by Meredith Wilson. Performed by Perry Como and The Fontane Sisters

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas
Everywhere you go;
Take a look in the five-and-ten, glistening once again
With candy canes and silver lanes aglow.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas,
Toys in every store,
But the prettiest sight to see is the holly that will be
On your own front door.

A pair of hopalong boots and a pistol that shoots
Is the wish of Barney and Ben;
Dolls that will talk and will go for a walk
Is the hope of Janice and Jen;
And Mom and Dad can hardly wait for school to start again.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas
Everywhere you go;
There's a tree in the Grand Hotel, one in the park as well,
The sturdy kind that doesn't mind the snow.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas;
Soon the bells will start,
And the thing that will make them ring is the carol that you sing
Right within your heart.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas,
Toys in every store,
But the prettiest sight to see is the holly that will be
On your own front door.

Sure it's Christmas once more.

ON CHRISTMAS DAY 1837

The United States forces defeated the Seminole Indians at the Battle of Okeechobee.

CAROL OF THE BELLS

Pulled with violence
To break the silence
Choring, drawing

Mechanism priming
Ready for chiming
Banging, clanging

Momentum gaining
Timbers straining
Creaking, speaking

Mechanical timing
With rhythm climbing
Swaying, obeying

The peel resounding
A sound astounding
Ringing, singing

The call goes out
Around and about
Voicing, rejoicing

Come says the calling
Come one and all in
Morning, morning

Christ born this day
The Christmas bells say
Rejoicing, rejoicing

REPRESENTING ST LUCY

St Lucy is represented by cord, eyes on a dish, lamp, swords, and as a woman hitched to a yoke of oxen
She is also represented as a woman in the company of Saint Agatha, or Saint Agnes of Rome, Barbara, Catherine of Alexandria, and Saint Thecla and finally as woman kneeling before the tomb of Saint Agatha.

CHUCKLING WITH DELIGHT

Chuckling with delight
At the twinkling tree lights
You giggle and smile
And yet all the while
You really don’t know
Why your sweet face is aglow
And you gurgle excitedly
At everything you see
It’s a very special time
When Christmas bells chime
And Santa’s on his way
With presents on his sleigh
For every little lad and lass
To have a special Christmas
But for you my darling one
Just enjoying all the fun
Chuckling with delight
At the twinkling tree lights
When Santa comes this way
It’s for your first Christmas Day